amy

Does anyone know why so many of the showers in European hotels have only a half-sheet of glass/door? It's not a big deal, it's kind of quaint, but I'm just curious. I've experienced them in so many different countries - Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland. I thought it was just a "Continental" thing but then we had them at a very fancy castle in Ireland too.....I feel bad for the maids that have to clean up our sopping towels because there's no way to keep at least some water from spraying all over the bathroom floor. What are us Americans not doing right - do most Europeans take baths as opposed to showers? Just wondering......

Bob Brown

That is a good question. The hotel in Paris we used last summer had a full length panel that extended from the wall about one third of the length of the tub. A shower nozzle had been added as an obvious afterthought. If you were careful, you could mop up with only one towel. Another hotel had no curtain of any type. The shower consisted of a flexible metal hose with a shower head attached. You could squirt water on yourself, but I would not call it a shower. <BR>In apartments I have rented in Switzerland, I found full shower facilities. <BR>In Der Altwienerhof in Vienna, the bathrooms have been redone recently. They are beautiful, with full shower facilites that are first rate. The food <BR>at breakfast is absolutely first rate too! I don't think old Franz Josef himself could have had it any better. <BR>Of course, modern refrigeration is a blessing.

Al

One benefit of travel is the self-esteem it builds, the fleeting feeling that you can overcome obstacles and master everything in time. All, that is, except the whimsy of French bathroom plumbing. Having traveled from one side of France to the other, from its top to its bottom, I can say that each night brings a new challenge: how the heck does the shower work...or does it work at all? This task is best accomplished at the close of the day rather than in the morning because I am simply too groggy and/or cranky to have any skill or patience left with the peculiar French plumbing installed and operated (I assume) by the peculiar French. Sometimes the handles (levers, knobs, globes, etc.) turn left, sometimes they turn right. Sometimes the one marked "C" (presumably for "chaud" or hot) bring forth a geyser of Arctic water. Sometimes not. So if you want to test the laws of probability, you just turn the damn things and pray. But half-doors? Zut, alors! Jamais! Half-curtains, yes. But half-doors?

Florence

Ah, the mystery of French plumbing ! <BR> <BR>Here's a clue: one of the leading French plumbing companies is called "Porcher", which translates as "Swineherd".

Nancy

When I was in Germany staying with my sister I noticed that the electrical, plumbing & other structural things weren't uniform, I'm talking room to room! <BR> <BR>They were military but living off base, renting from a German man. My brother-in-law told me that they don't have any building codes like we have in the US.

Myriam

Amy, <BR>I think that indeed Europeans take more baths than showers, and certainly the elder people. I cannot imagine my mother standing under the shower! In recent houses (in Belgium at least) both facilities are available, as well bathtub (or spa) and separate shower cabin.

Frank

Easy... <BR>The answer (I believe) is that Europeans use "phone"-showers, i.e. the hand-held type. So, in theory you stand or kneel, and then you spray the appropriate area as needed, and all this is accomplished without much spillage. Americans on the other hand, use wall-fixed showers to have both hands free while showering, which causes much more splashing. Also, the water pressure is less in Europe I believe. <BR>Different place, different customs......

Ursula

... as far as there is water enough, so what? Did some of you ever travel to third world countries? In those countries you get to appreciate having water no matter in which way!

Dave

I have been in many hotel tubs and showers. Some have a bottom so narrow that it is difficult to stand in. Some have partial doors, low doors, ridiculous controls, sprays, no soap dishes, etc. <BR> <BR>I am convinced that people who design showers in Europe and South America never used them.

Ang

I always find it funny (until I have to go 5 days without showering) that I can't shower in Ireland if the electricity is off.

elvira

Our house(s)in Naxos had a watertank in the bathroom; flip the switch, and in about five minutes we had water about the same temperature as lava. 3 sides of the shower were enclosed, the 4th was sort of a half door. No problem with wet floors, though; the whole place was marble and we just squeegied water out the door. <BR> <BR>House in Grimaud had a huge tub, about waist-high which required Chinese acrobats to toss one high enough to get into it. The cobra hand-held shower was untamable, whipping out of our hands and beating us about the head and shoulders "Woman found dead in shower; police have not found murder weapon". <BR> <BR>Community shower in London hotel was a fixed shower head, tiled floor and walls. The clothes hooks were within splashing distance of the shower, so I learned to put my damp pj's back on instead of changing into damp street clothes. Shoes were left to fend for themselves on the floor; bless the person who invented cheap flipflops. <BR> <BR>Best idea for a community shower (leave it to the practical Dutch): top floor of a hotel, steep roof, the shower was the under-eaves part and ran front to back. The whole thing was tile, one end NOT within splashing distance where your clothes, shoes and towel were left. Fixed shower head. When done, you took the long-handled squeegie and pushed the water down the drain in the center of the floor. Everyone took care of this rather nicely, so the shower/ballroom was always clean and dry. <BR> <BR>That weird half-door thing showed up in a Venice hotel...unasked, I might add.

Michelle

Just wanted to say "thanks" Elvira for making me laugh really, really hard!! That was great!